father told me.”
“Damn what he told you.” Rome spat the words out, he was
so pissed. “My dad had his own agenda. I can see that now. My mother and my
father, both of them do. They set me up.” He balled his hands into fists. “I
can’t believe they would stoop so low.”
Arie bit her bottom lip and when she released it, it
began to tremble. “I told you they’d hate me. Why didn’t you listen?”
The dejected look on her face pulled at his heart. He
dropped to his knees in front of her and took her hands in his. “No, Arie. It’s
not that they hate you. It’s that they’re holding on to an illusion. They can’t
let go of the dream of Daniela.”
Arie shook her head and gave him a sad smile. “Wishful
thinking, Rome. And what you said about Daniela being over you? You’re wrong. She
still wants you. I can see it even if you can’t.”
“What can I do to make you believe-”
“Enough.” Arie put up a hand, silencing him. “I’ve had
enough of talking. It’s good that you didn’t take my things from the car. Please
take me back to the hotel. I don’t want to stay here a minute longer.”
The look on her face told him her mind was made up. There
was nothing he could say that would make her stay. And it was all the fault of
his family. They’d messed things up…royally. Then again, maybe he should lay
the blame squarely at his own feet. How could he have been so naïve as to think
they would accept Arie, no questions asked, with open arms?
Releasing her hands he stood up. “I’ll take you back to
the hotel,” he said, “but there’s something I have to do first. Wait here until
I get back. Please.”
Arie’s mouth was set in a stubborn pout but she folded
her arms across her chest and settled back in the seat. She looked like she
would stay put.
Grateful that she hadn't put up a fight, Rome turned on
his heel and strode out the door. Even if he couldn’t repair the damage
already done there was one thing he was determined to set straight before he
left.
He had to tackle this problem that had reared its ugly
head – the new and confusing and dangerously seductive element of Daniela
Scalise.
CHAPTER NINE
Rome found Daniela relaxing in the solarium, having tea
with his mother. After stirring up so much trouble the woman sat there looking
as comfortable as could be.
He didn’t bother with pleasantries. “Daniela, we need to
talk.” His voice was grim as he walked into the room. “Mama, can you excuse us
for a minute?”
Lily looked from Rome to Daniela then back to Rome. “What
did you want to talk about?” she asked, her voice uncertain. In fact, she
looked darned nervous right at that moment and she had every reason to be.
“This is between Daniela and me, Mama,” he replied, his
tone curt. After the way she'd conspired to mess up his life he owed his mother
no explanation. “Could I have a minute with Daniela?” he asked again. “Alone.”
To her credit, despite her look of doubt his mother did
not question him again. Resting the teacup on its saucer she got up from around
the table, whispered her excuse to Daniela and walked out of the room.
Rome waited a full three seconds after she’d gone then
he walked over to close the door firmly behind her. Then he turned to the
object of his anger.
“Tell me something,” he said, his voice deceptively
soft, “do you take pleasure in screwing up other people’s lives? What the hell
is this game you’re playing?”
Looking totally unperturbed, Daniela didn’t answer. Instead,
she raised her teacup to her lips and took a leisurely sip. After savoring the
liquid she swallowed and only then did she turn her dark eyes on Rome. “Game?”
she asked, her tone cool. “Who says I’m playing a game?”
Rome’s gaze narrowed as he watched her. She was trying
to tick him off, he could see that much. The question was, why?
Instead of flaring up in fury as he guessed Daniela was
expecting, he decided to take it cool
“Damn what he told you.” Rome spat the words out, he was
so pissed. “My dad had his own agenda. I can see that now. My mother and my
father, both of them do. They set me up.” He balled his hands into fists. “I
can’t believe they would stoop so low.”
Arie bit her bottom lip and when she released it, it
began to tremble. “I told you they’d hate me. Why didn’t you listen?”
The dejected look on her face pulled at his heart. He
dropped to his knees in front of her and took her hands in his. “No, Arie. It’s
not that they hate you. It’s that they’re holding on to an illusion. They can’t
let go of the dream of Daniela.”
Arie shook her head and gave him a sad smile. “Wishful
thinking, Rome. And what you said about Daniela being over you? You’re wrong. She
still wants you. I can see it even if you can’t.”
“What can I do to make you believe-”
“Enough.” Arie put up a hand, silencing him. “I’ve had
enough of talking. It’s good that you didn’t take my things from the car. Please
take me back to the hotel. I don’t want to stay here a minute longer.”
The look on her face told him her mind was made up. There
was nothing he could say that would make her stay. And it was all the fault of
his family. They’d messed things up…royally. Then again, maybe he should lay
the blame squarely at his own feet. How could he have been so naïve as to think
they would accept Arie, no questions asked, with open arms?
Releasing her hands he stood up. “I’ll take you back to
the hotel,” he said, “but there’s something I have to do first. Wait here until
I get back. Please.”
Arie’s mouth was set in a stubborn pout but she folded
her arms across her chest and settled back in the seat. She looked like she
would stay put.
Grateful that she hadn't put up a fight, Rome turned on
his heel and strode out the door. Even if he couldn’t repair the damage
already done there was one thing he was determined to set straight before he
left.
He had to tackle this problem that had reared its ugly
head – the new and confusing and dangerously seductive element of Daniela
Scalise.
CHAPTER NINE
Rome found Daniela relaxing in the solarium, having tea
with his mother. After stirring up so much trouble the woman sat there looking
as comfortable as could be.
He didn’t bother with pleasantries. “Daniela, we need to
talk.” His voice was grim as he walked into the room. “Mama, can you excuse us
for a minute?”
Lily looked from Rome to Daniela then back to Rome. “What
did you want to talk about?” she asked, her voice uncertain. In fact, she
looked darned nervous right at that moment and she had every reason to be.
“This is between Daniela and me, Mama,” he replied, his
tone curt. After the way she'd conspired to mess up his life he owed his mother
no explanation. “Could I have a minute with Daniela?” he asked again. “Alone.”
To her credit, despite her look of doubt his mother did
not question him again. Resting the teacup on its saucer she got up from around
the table, whispered her excuse to Daniela and walked out of the room.
Rome waited a full three seconds after she’d gone then
he walked over to close the door firmly behind her. Then he turned to the
object of his anger.
“Tell me something,” he said, his voice deceptively
soft, “do you take pleasure in screwing up other people’s lives? What the hell
is this game you’re playing?”
Looking totally unperturbed, Daniela didn’t answer. Instead,
she raised her teacup to her lips and took a leisurely sip. After savoring the
liquid she swallowed and only then did she turn her dark eyes on Rome. “Game?”
she asked, her tone cool. “Who says I’m playing a game?”
Rome’s gaze narrowed as he watched her. She was trying
to tick him off, he could see that much. The question was, why?
Instead of flaring up in fury as he guessed Daniela was
expecting, he decided to take it cool
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